This study followed a small group of children exposed to pre- and perinatal health threats to determine whether any psychological effects of the health threat could be identified and if so, whether there is potential in pediatric care to prevent such consequences. The 67 infants were all members of low income families. The tests used included the…

This paper discusses the processes that are at work which produce some of the differences between male and female human beings. The sex of the child is an important attribute of the organism's identity. Before birth, parents express preferences for the sex of the unborn child and start providing names as a function of the sex of the child. Studies…

The contents of this book, which presents the fruits of one of a series of conferences organized by the National Research Council Committee on Basic Research in Education, includes 12 papers, with discussion and comments: "Introductory Remarks," Ernst W. Caspari; "Quantitative Aspects of Genetics and Environment in the Determination of Behavior,"…

This bibliography on nutritional disorders and child development is directed towards early childhood professionals outside the field of nutrition. The main topic covered pertains to malnutrition and undernutrition as it relates to mental/intellectual/cognitive development of children from the fetal stage through the early childhood years. Included…

This report provides current information on the health consequences of using alcoholic beverages and a description on current research findings on alcohol abuse and alcoholism. The focus is on research advances since September, 1993. The chapters are as follows: (1) "Epidemiology of Alcohol Use and Alcohol-Related Consequences"; (2) "Genetic,…

The influx of children prenatally exposed to drugs represents a heightened challenge to early childhood education programs. Efforts are needed for establishing developmentally appropriate practices, administrative supports, access to special education services, and personnel preparation programs. Guidelines and suggestions relating to these…

Discusses appropriate care for children affected prenatally or after birth by parental chemical dependence. There is increasing evidence that environmental intervention by professionals and other caring adults can alleviate these children's distress. Maximizing their development also depends on implementation of child welfare protections and the…

Thirty-four children (ages 5-16) born to alcoholic mothers were assessed on measures of intelligence, reading, receptive vocabulary, memory for sentences, visual memory, and visual-motor integration. The children were found to be least deficient on intellectual measures and most deficient on memory for sentences and silent and oral readings.…

Our purpose in this report is to evaluate scientifically that body of literature relating the effects of prenatal and postnatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) upon neurobehavioral, health-related, and cognitive deficits in neonates, developing infants, children, and adults. The data derive from seven cohorts: six cohorts of mothers…

Each year more than 350,000 babies acquire HIV infection from their mother, mainly in Africa. As sadly constant as this fact is, the policy environment around crafting an effective response has changed rapidly and unpredictably. Sequential advances in antiretroviral therapy, preserving effectiveness with far more practical regimens, have…

Objective: To identify factors that predict or are correlated with symptoms of depression and anxiety in 10-year-olds. Method: Women and their offspring were followed from the fourth prenatal month through 10 years. There were 636 mother-child pairs at 10 years, a follow-up rate of 83% of the birth cohort. Cognitive, psychological,…

This thesis discusses normal principles of infant development during the first 2 to 3 months of life and applies these principles to the provision of services to drug-exposed infants. Emphasis is on the infant as an active and interactive participant in his/her own development, the primacy of the body during this early developmental period, and…

Despite years of concern about the toxic effects of high lead exposure and recent knowledge about the less apparent effects of exposure to low doses of lead, a total of 3 to 4 million children in the United States are still being exposed to concentrations of lead that could compromise their cognitive and social development. This paper discusses:…

This report is designed to assist teachers in California who work with children who have been exposed to drugs before birth by providing these teachers with a catalogue of sources for support and information about how to reach and teach the children, and how to anticipate and confront behavior problems. The report contains a list of 30 federal,…

Ten high-risk, special education adolescents were given an instructional program for five days in health education on crack cocaine and its effects on the fetus. Students included five with learning disabilities, three with emotional impairments, and two with educable mental impairments. All of the subjects live and attend school in a primarily…